51 U.S. Code § 30701 - Competitiveness and international cooperation

(1) Solicitation of comment.— As part of the evaluation of the costs and benefits of entering into an obligation to conduct a space mission in which a foreign entity will participate as a supplier of the spacecraft, spacecraft system, or launch system, the Administrator shall solicit comment on the potential impact of such participation through notice published in Commerce Business Daily at least 45 days before entering into such an obligation.

(2) Agreements with people’s republic of china.— The Administrator shall certify to Congress at least 15 days in advance of any cooperative agreement with the People’s Republic of China, or any company owned by the People’s Republic of China or incorporated under the laws of the People’s Republic of China, involving spacecraft, spacecraft systems, launch systems, or scientific or technical information, that—

(A)the agreement is not detrimental to the United States space launch industry; and

(B)the agreement, including any indirect technical benefit that could be derived from the agreement, will not improve the missile or space launch capabilities of the People’s Republic of China.

(3) Annual audit.— The Inspector General of the Administration, in consultation with appropriate agencies, shall conduct an annual audit of the policies and procedures of the Administration with respect to the export of technologies and the transfer of scientific and technical information, to assess the extent to which the Administration is carrying out its activities in compliance with Federal export control laws and with paragraph (2).

(b) National Interests.—

(1) Definition of united states commercial provider.— In this subsection, the term “United States commercial provider” means a commercial provider (as defined in section
30308(a) of this title), organized under the laws of the United States or of a State (as defined in section
30308(a) of this title), which is—

(A)more than 50 percent owned by United States nationals; or

(B)a subsidiary of a foreign company and the Secretary of Commerce finds that—

(i)such subsidiary has in the past evidenced a substantial commitment to the United States market through—

(I)investments in the United States in long-term research, development, and manufacturing (including the manufacture of major components and subassemblies); and

(II)significant contributions to employment in the United States; and

(ii)the country or countries in which such foreign company is incorporated or organized, and, if appropriate, in which it principally conducts its business, affords reciprocal treatment to companies described in subparagraph (A) comparable to that afforded to such foreign company’s subsidiary in the United States, as evidenced by—

(I)providing comparable opportunities for companies described in subparagraph (A) to participate in Government sponsored research and development similar to that authorized under this section, section
30307,
30308,
30309, or
30702 of this title, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–391, 114 Stat. 1577);

(II)providing no barriers to companies described in subparagraph (A) with respect to local investment opportunities that are not provided to foreign companies in the United States; and

(III)providing adequate and effective protection for the intellectual property rights of companies described in subparagraph (A).

(2) In general.— Before entering into an obligation described in subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider the national interests of the United States described in paragraph (3) of this subsection.

(3) Description of national interests.— International cooperation in space exploration and science activities most effectively serves the United States national interest when it—

(A)

(i)reduces the cost of undertaking missions the United States Government would pursue unilaterally;

(ii)enables the United States to pursue missions that it could not otherwise afford to pursue unilaterally; or

(iii)enhances United States capabilities to use and develop space for the benefit of United States citizens;

(B)is undertaken in a manner that is sensitive to the desire of United States commercial providers to develop or explore space commercially;

(C)is consistent with the need for Federal agencies to use space to complete their missions; and

(D)is carried out in a manner consistent with United States export control laws.

In subsection (b)(1), the definition of “United States commercial provider” is added to carry forward the appropriate definition from section 3 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–391, 114 Stat. 1580).

In subsection (b)(3), the description of national interests of the United States is added to carry forward the appropriate description of national interests of the United States from section 2(6) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2000 (Public Law 106–391, 114 Stat. 1578).

References in Text

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2000, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(B)(ii)(I), is Pub. L. 106–391, Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1577. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

“(a) Certification Required.—If the United States becomes a signatory to a non-legally binding international agreement concerning an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities or any similar agreement, at the same time as the United States becomes such a signatory—

“(1) the President shall submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives], the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate a certification that such agreement has no legally-binding effect or basis for limiting the activities of the United States in outer space; and

“(2) the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Director of National Intelligence shall jointly submit to the congressional defense committees a certification that such agreement will be equitable, enhance national security, and have no militarily significant impact on the ability of the United States to conduct military or intelligence activities in space.

“(b) Briefings and Notifications Required.—

“(1) Restatement of policy formulation under the arms control and disarmament act with respect to outer space.—No action shall be taken that would obligate the United States to reduce or limit the Armed Forces or armaments of the United States in outer space in a militarily significant manner, except pursuant to the treaty-making power of the President set forth in Article II, Section
2, Clause II of the Constitution or unless authorized by the enactment of further affirmative legislation by the Congress of the United States.

“(2) Briefings.—

“(A) Requirement.—The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and the Director of National Intelligence shall jointly provide to the covered congressional committees regular, detailed updates on the negotiation of a non-legally binding international agreement concerning an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities or any similar agreement.

“(B) Termination of requirement.—The requirement to provide regular briefings under subparagraph (A) shall terminate on the date on which the United States becomes a signatory to an agreement referred to in subparagraph (A), or on the date on which the President certifies to Congress that the United States is no longer negotiating an agreement referred to in subparagraph (A), whichever is earlier.

“(3) Notifications.—If the United States becomes a signatory to a non-legally binding international agreement concerning an International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities or any similar agreement, not less than 60 days prior to any action that will obligate the United States to reduce or limit the Armed Forces or armaments or activities of the United States in outer space, the head of each Department or agency of the Federal Government that is affected by such action shall submit to Congress notice of such action and the effect of such action on such Department or agency.

“(4) Definition.—In this subsection, the term ‘covered congressional committees’ means—

“(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and

“(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.”

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